


kariya and the case of santa claus

by spacebutterfly



Category: Inazuma Eleven GO
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 03:27:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2836334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacebutterfly/pseuds/spacebutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kariya might think himself above believing in Santa, but Hiroto has a plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	kariya and the case of santa claus

In the kitchen of a moderately small apartment, two young men sit opposite each other at a table, both with expressions firm.

 

“Hiroto, are you sure about this?”

Hiroto leans back on his chair, crossing his arms with something of a look of somebody who knows he's right. Midorikawa is giving him a doubtful look, one of which, in Hiroto's opinion, he's making a habit of giving far too often.

“Ryuuji-kun, trust me. When have my plans ever gone wrong?” Midorikawa opens his mouth, ready to give plenty of examples. “Wait, wait, that was rhetorical, don't answer that!”

“But Hiroto,” begins Midorikawa, interrupted by Hiroto's impatient hand-waving.

“But nothing.” He gives his partner a very serious look. “You agreed to this, and we're going through with it, and we're going to do it _right._ ”

“I know, but...” Midorikawa sighs. “Kariya is a junior-high schooler already, Hiroto, there's just no way he believes in Santa.”

“You don't know him like I do, Ryuuji-kun,” refutes Hiroto sagely. “There's no way he _doesn't_ believe in Santa. Think of it: little Kariya-kun waking up on Christmas morning, seeing his stocking full up, thinking, _'Santa's been!'_ It's perfect!”

“Yes, perfect. Never mind the fact he's never been visited by Santa Claus once in his life, much like the rest of the children at the Sun Garden...”

“Minor details,” shrugs Hiroto.

“If you're willing to fund it...” smirks Midorikawa, to which Hiroto deflates in his seat a little. “Well, never mind that. I'll back you up on this one, _sir,_ but I'm still a little doubtful that Kariya's going to swallow it.”

Hiroto grins. “Don't you worry,” he replies wryly. “Let Mr. Kira work his magic.”

“I'll leave it to you,” smiles Midorikawa, with the smallest hint of a sneer. Glancing up at the clock on the wall, he adds, “I think it's time to pick Kariya up from school now.”

“Does he know we're coming?” asks Hiroto excitedly, apparently all for surprises today.

“Yes, he does. I've got it all covered, _sir._ ” Midorikawa stands up, fishes his keys out of his jacket pocket and clasps them in his hand. “Let's go.”

***

Kariya looks delighted to see Hiroto and Midorikawa waiting for him at the school gates, greeting them both with a beam and a wave as he approaches.

“Kira-san, Midorikawa-san...thanks for having me today,” he smiles, amber eyes wide as he gazes up at the two of them.

“Wipe that smirk off your face,” jeers Hiroto, plonking a hand on Kariya's head and mussing up his hair. “How was your last day of school?”

“Augh, stop it!” hisses Kariya, knocking Hiroto's arm away with his own. Quickly glancing up at the amiable Midorikawa, he adds, “It was fun, I suppose.” He rubs his nose thoughtfully. “It was like any old day at school.” Then, with a slight smirk, he adds, “Hikaru-kun tripped up again during practise today. He's so clumsy...”

“Well, it's a good thing you're there to help him along,” smiles Midorikawa, patting Kariya on the shoulder. “Right?”

“Right!” agrees Kariya brightly. Hiroto nods at him approvingly.

“We parked just down the road, so shall we get going?”

***

“Say, Kariya-kun, you've heard of Santa Claus, right?” asks Hiroto, wasting no time now that they're on the road. He glances at the boy in the back-seat with a smile that he hopes looks innocent.

“Hiroto, would you keep your eyes on the road?” tuts Midorikawa, as Kariya frowns thoughtfully.

“That old story about Santa,” he sniffs. “They told us about him when we were younger, but it just sounds stupid to me. I mean, _I_ never got any presents.”

Midorikawa watches Hiroto's expression. He's still smiling calmly, obviously not deterred yet.

“Is that so? But you know, I've heard that Santa only comes if you really, _really_ want him to, deep down in your heart.”

Midorikawa fights back a snort. Kariya glares at Hiroto through the rear-view mirror, clearly unimpressed.

“I'm not _that_ gullible, Hiroto! ...-san,” he adds quickly, catching Midorikawa's stern eye. “I know Santa isn't real, I'm not stupid.”

“Oh,” says Hiroto, catching eye of Kariya's affronted face in the mirror. “Oh well. That's a shame.” Midorikawa raises his eyebrows. He hadn't expected Hiroto to give up _this_ easily.

“What do you mean, a shame?” mutters Kariya irritably, staring out the window. “...Not stupid, _jeez_...”

The rest of the journey passes in relative silence. Midorikawa can almost hear the cogs whirring in Hiroto's brain; no doubt he's busy thinking of a workaround for his plan. Midorikawa only wishes he would pay that much attention to the road. “Hiroto, that's a red light-- Hiroto!!”

Hiroto brakes the car abruptly, giving Midorikawa a shifty grin. “Oops.”

“Crazy man,” hisses Kariya, in what he seems to think is a voice too quiet to hear.

***

Hiroto betrays Midorikawa's expectations by not mentioning or even hinting at 'Santa Claus' all evening. They come home, eat a quiet dinner and watch TV for a while; Midorikawa sits through 2 hours of bickering (on Kariya's end) and teasing (on Hiroto's end) with little comment, because they're both as bad as each other, he thinks. That said, his temper is put to the test when he's hit in the face by a stray pillow.

“S-sorry, Midorikawa-san,” stammers Kariya. “I was aiming for Hiroto...-san...”

Hiroto snickers, still instinctively ducking.

“Kariya-kun,” says Midorikawa in a controlled voice, rubbing his nose, “Maybe you should go and put your nightclothes on.”

“Okay,” says Kariya quietly, standing up and hurrying out of the room.

Once Kariya is out of earshot, Midorikawa rounds on Hiroto. “How old are you, really?!”

“Shh,” shushes Hiroto impatiently. “This is perfect.” He takes his mobile phone out of his pocket. “Play along, okay?”

“Hiroto, what...?” begins Midorikawa, but Hiroto has already stood up, putting the phone to his ear as he walks into the hallway. Midorikawa follows him and stands in the doorway to the living room, with the air of not wanting to get too close to a crazy person.

“Hello? Hi, it's me, Kira Hiroto,” says Hiroto brightly. “Yep. Yep. Good, how are you?” He paces the hallway, just as he always does when he's taking a call.

Midorikawa frowns. Who's on the other end?

“Ah...” Hiroto sighs. “About that...yes...well, I don't think he does. No, it's a shame.” He pauses in his pacing, leaning against the wall. “I know, I know, but there's no helping it. You ought not to come. Besides, he hasn't even been that well behaved lately.”

Then it clicks and Midorikawa realises just what Hiroto is up to. He shakes his head in exasperation. Kariya would _never_ fall for that... Midorikawa spots Kariya in the doorway of the guest room, listening in on Hiroto's call curiously. Once Hiroto spots Kariya listening he turns around secretively, lowering his voice slightly. “...I have to go. ...Mhm, yep. Well, it's your call. Thanks for everything. Yeah, Merry Christmas to you too. Bye.” He hangs up, looking over his shoulder at Kariya, who looks slightly crestfallen at something. “Eavesdropping?”

“No,” replies Kariya, crossing his arms as he walks into the hallway. “You were just talking really loudly.”

“Now, now,” says Midorikawa quickly, before Hiroto can make a snappy comment. “I've got some cake in the kitchen, why don't we have some?” Kariya and Hiroto both look at Midorikawa with unmasked glee. “I thought so. But _no arguing!_ ”

“Midorikawa-san,” says Kariya quietly, hanging back as Hiroto hurries into the kitchen. “Who was Hiroto-san talking to?”

Midorikawa hesitates. Kariya can't have _really_ fallen for it, can he? “I'm...not sure...” says Midorikawa slowly, unsure how exactly he's supposed to 'play along'. Kariya doesn't look convinced by his answer, but before he can speak, Hiroto's calling for them to hurry up. Midorikawa pats Kariya on the shoulder. “Well, you know, let's...eat some cake!” he says lamely.

Kariya nods, a confused frown on his face.

***

Midorikawa yawns and stretches as he walks into the living room in search of Hiroto, finding him sat on the couch with a cup of coffee.

“Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas...” says Midorikawa tiredly. “Why are you up so early?”

“No sleep for Santa Claus,” winks Hiroto. “You're awake too.”

Midorikawa flumps onto the couch next to him. “I was wondering where you were.” He notices a small pile of presents on the floor in front of them. “For Kariya-kun?”

“Indeed.” Hiroto sips his coffee, smiling. “There's a stocking at the end of his bed, too.”

Midorikawa raises his eyebrows. “From Santa?”

“Who knows?” chuckles Hiroto. “I suppose we'll find out.”

“I suppose so.” Midorikawa leans back on the pillows. “Should I cook something special today?”

“Maybe. Or we could eat out,” suggests Hiroto.

“No fast food,” says Midorikawa firmly.

“Whaaat? Just for one day! It's Christmas! Let's eat chicken!”

Midorikawa shakes his head disapprovingly.

“Hiroto, Hiroto! Midorikawa-san!” cries a voice from the hallway, Midorikawa nearly jumps out of his skin.

“What's the matter?” asks Midorikawa panickingly, standing up. “Kariya?!”

Evidently Kariya's cry wasn't of fear, but excitement – he beams as he walks into the room, clutching a stocking nearly as big as his torso. “He _is_ real!”

Midorikawa sighs with relief, then, taking in what Kariya just said, looks back at Hiroto with amazement. Hiroto looks equally surprised – such a good actor that even he could almost fool Midorikawa too. “No way, really?”

“Yeah, look!” Kariya pulls a card out of the stocking, struggling to open it without dropping everything. “Look, he wrote me a card and everything, and I _know_ it wasn't one of _you_ , because your handwriting is different.”

“What does it say?” asks Midorikawa, finding it all too easy to get caught up in Kariya's excitement. Kariya hands him the card.

“Come on, you haven't even opened any of them yet?” pushes Hiroto, pointing at the lumpy stocking. “Put it down and let's see what you got.”

Kariya sits on the floor and empties the stocking, Hiroto taking a seat opposite him. Midorikawa watches as Kariya opens the packages – chocolates, toy figures, _T-Pistonz + KMC_ 's new CD and last of all a plush penguin, which Midorikawa expects the boy to berate as being childish, but he looks delighted.

“Is that everything?” asks Hiroto, picking up the empty stocking and looking inside with convincing curiosity.

“Yep.” Kariya looks happier than Midorikawa's ever seen him. It's only then he notices the pile of presents behind Hiroto. “Are those...?”

“From us,” says Hiroto, pulling the pile in front of Kariya. Kariya doesn't touch them, just stares at Hiroto.

“You and...”

“Me, yep,” offers Midorikawa helpfully.

Kariya looks up at Midorikawa with wide eyes, then back at Hiroto. “...Thank you very much,” he says quietly.

“It's nothing!” grins Hiroto. “Just a little something for our favourite soccer player.” Kariya stares at the floor. It actually looks like he might cry, Midorikawa realises.

“Hey, don't cry!” he says gently, slipping off the couch to sit by Kariya and put an arm around his shoulders. “This isn't like you.”

“I'm not crying,” says Kariya quickly, wiping his eyes on his hand. “I just...I really...thanks.” He bites his lip. “I just...love you two a lot.”

Midorikawa and Hiroto both beam at him.

“Oh, but...not just because of the presents or anything!” he adds quickly, eyes wide.

“Yeah, I bet!” sneers Hiroto, reaching forward to ruffle his hair.

“Ugh, Hiroto-san!” growls Kariya, shaking his head.

“Enough semantics, open your presents already!”

“Hiroto, stop teasing him.”

“I'm opening them, I'm opening them, okay?!”

_***_

_Dear Kariya Masaki_

_I've heard that you've been very good this year. Kira-san has told me a lot about you, and how much he and Midorikawa-san love you. He thinks that after all you've been through, you deserve a gift or two. I certainly agree!_

_I'm sorry that I neglected to visit you in previous years. Lapland is very far away from Japan!_

_I hope you keep on trying hard at school and in your soccer club. Remember, everybody is cheering for you!_

_From Santa Claus_

 

_P.S. Don't mind Kira-san's teasing. It sounds like he's hard on you, but I'm sure it's just his way of making you laugh._

**Author's Note:**

> This was a secret santa gift for someone in 2012.
> 
> It's so weird looking back at this now, the way I write has changed just over a couple of years. I think a few sentences might have been changed here and there because I can't help picking at it every time I look at it...
> 
> As much as it bothers me to look at it, I think people could enjoy this story so I'm going to put it here as it is and try not to edit it any more!


End file.
